MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

8/19 Hendry: "It's 'whatever it takes' time"

With 45 games to go, it’s crunch time for the Cubs.

“There has to be a sense of urgency,” GM Jim Hendry said before Wednesday’s game against the Padres.

On Aug. 6, the Cubs were tied for first in the NL Central. They began Wednesday six games behind the Cardinals in the division.

“We just haven’t played up to our capabilities,” Hendry said. “It’s kind of a mystery to all of us. We’ve had a lot of guys who have hit their whole lives and they haven’t hit. We’ve done a very poor job all year. It’s frustrating. We just haven’t got the job done.”

After going 14-5 in the first 19 games after the All-Star break, the Cubs have gone 3-9 in their last 12. Hendry won’t use injuries as an excuse.

“We can’t be happy with anything,” Hendry said. “We haven’t, what I consider, come close to playing even the level we were playing after the break. It’s that time now. It’s whatever it takes time. There’s a fine line between ‘giving it your best shot’ and doing whatever it takes, and it’s certainly whatever it takes time now.

“We’ve got to grind through it, we’ve got to play our best, we’ve got to play hurt, we’ve got to play sick,” he said. “We’ve put ourselves in a very tough spot and we’ve got to find a way to get out of it.”

— Carrie Muskat

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20 Comments

It is time to either back up the truck and start playing for next year or try to pick up a power player that will add the punch to this line up that has been lacking from the likes of Soriano, Bradley (finally better lately),and Soto. Of these three players Soriano is the biggest BUST and think that we are stuck with this long term contract and that high salary. Sad! Saaaaaaaaaaad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing will happen as long as us fans keep coming to these games as management will look back this year and be quite happy with the dollars made with these players that show me little desire to give the fans what they want and that is a World Series at Wrigley field.
Wait till what year? I have been a Cub fan for over 50 years and here we go again, Wait till next year!
Bob Gibbons @ Cub Boxer@aol.com

I know this sounds old but the decisions at the end of last year and what we have seen this year are just mind-boggling. It is really hard to watch our team this year. A lot of the problem is with the ownership and the management. The DeRosa Trade was horrible and has affected this team terribly especially in something that “used” to be a big commodity, known as chemistry or in another term: relationships. You do not win 97 games (08 Cubs) without chemistry, leadership and so forth. Nothing against Miles but he is no DeRosa and he has been on the DL more this year than DeRosa and his production is no where near DeRosa’s. The ownership not willing to back Woody was terrible after Woody sacrificed a lesser contract in 2008 to stay with his original team, change to a closer and save 34 games. Yes Woody had 6 blsv’s but that again went along with 34 saves, 84 so’s only 18 bb’s and ONLY 3 hr’s all in his first season as a closer! People do not talk a lot about this but it is difficult for pitchers to move from team to team and I believe that Woody would be having a much better season had he been with us! So, what does management do? They trade away another good prospect (Sounds like what they did when they went after Juan Pierre and gave the Marlins 3 prospects) to the Marlins and we have to avoid arbitration with Gregg? Gregg is not a premier closer. I trust Woody much more with the ball then I do Gregg. Also, not keeping Blanco has hurt too as a young Soto was learning well from his teacher. Injuries are a part of the game but areas that you have control over, like personnel, are the management’s responsibility. And I feel the management/ownership has been trying very hard to hurt this team not help it because how else do you explain the trades made last year and this year? It is time for Hendry to go and I cannot wait for The Tribune/Sam Zell to get out of our Cubs face and let the new owners be apart of something special.
Mahalo

Aloha Folks-
sorry my browser was acting up and I did not mean to submit my above comment 4 times.

But to follow up on Hendry: He has been with the Cubs a good amount of time. He can be happy with the success this team has had since he became GM in 2002 up until now. Yes, you do not always know what you will get in a trade or how your prospects will pan out, as well as how injuries will play a role in your season. But he had control over many areas of the team, including relationships that brought forth fruit in terms of chemistry and mentoring. His trades at the end of last year, lack of signing Woody and trades or lack there of during this current season are just hard to take. I keep going back to the fact that it takes a team to come to the ball field, a team to back each other up, a team to pick up one another and thus a team to win their division. They were a team last year that won 97 games.

I would have respect for Hendry if he were to announce his retiring/leaving after this season is over. That way the Cubs can plan on having a fresh start with the new owner and a new GM. I will always be a die-hard Cubs fan no matter what happens but I would love to see an owner and GM who love the game and love the Cubs.
Mahalo

Well….This season is over……If that isnt concession and cover our behinds talk,i dont know what is.”We have alot of guys whove hit their whole lives”….really?? like Milton Bradley,whos played 100 games 2 TIMES in his entire career before we gave him 30 million dollars…Or Mike Fontenot?? A guy who should have NEVER been in the starting lineup on a team with the third highest payroll in baseball…..Or Kosuke Fukodome?? A 12 million dollar a year bust who at best is a part time outfielder??Let me ask you this Jim….Why did Lou break down virtually the ENTIRE bullpen from last year,then carry a guy named David Patton into the season who had never pitched a game ABOVE SINGLE A.Or Aaron Heilman,who the Mets let go last year because he was wildly inconsistent….Or Kevin Gregg,who had double digit decisions last year for a closer,which is never good…and was known around the league to be mediocre at best.Steve Stone is exactly right,you dont bust up a team because of three bad games…which is all they had last year in the N.L.D.S….Hendry must go,lou must go…..kromraycharles@yahoo.com

It’s whatever it takes time, but when the questions come aobut what does it take, he points to the field. Oh no, _I_ can’t do anything of course! It’s the players! THEY have to do whatever it takes. I certainly can’t be expected to pick up a veteran leader with closing experience. No, I’ll just let him trot down to St. Louis along with everyone else in the world…cough…DeRosa…cough…Holliday…cough.

See folks – this is the difference between action, and sad-sack excuses. You do not get a pass Jimmy b/c you put together a 97 game winner LAST year. If anything, you’re MORE under the microscope.

Jim Hendry has just morphed from good GM to donut-munching moron.

I’d suggest Jim, that you avoid the press and keep your head down until you’re officially fired this off season.

If sam Zell gave a rats *** about this team he would let Jim Hendry add a big bat. I still wouldn’t rule it out from happening. It’s a good thing Zell won’t be the owner forever because he is a money hungry gold digger!

I do believe and this is just me, but this ownership situation should be resolved after the season and I think Soriano is out. I have no idea who is going to take his contract, but someone will. The bullpen will be revamped again. Gregg and Heilman are definately gone. Miles will be out for sure. I’m not sure but I think 2B needs to be addressed. A Brian Roberts or an Aaron Hill even a Dan Uggla would work. Fire Hendry and Piniella and get someone who has the passion to win and a manager who is aggressive.

It’s no mystery, Jim. You were swept out of the playoffs in the first round the last two years; the team was unable to produce offensively when the chips were down. Then you got rid of a very capable second baseman and utility player because he hit from the wrong side of the plate, and without an adequate replacement. You also spent big bucks for a disaster to serve as closer and a washout to play right field, as well as a useless utility man in Aaron Miles.

In other words, you took a team that already couldn’t get the job done backwards. The fact is that this team isn’t nearly as good as you think it is, and unless you or your replacement realizes it and does major surgery over the off season, we are in for years of disappointment.

HENDRY HAS DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE ALREADY HEWANTING MORE POWER OVER SPEED AND DEFENCE AND A REAL LEAD OFF MAN WE SEE WHAT HAPPEN THERE MIKE FON WAS NEVER A EVERY DAY PLAYER MILES WAS NOT THE ANSWER WHEN THE O DOG WAS OUT THERE WEHN HE COULD NOT GET ROBERTS TOCHOSE MILES OVER O DOG WAS JUST WRONG THEN NO BACKUP FOR ARAMIS NOT TRUST YOUR OWN DRAFT TO BRING UP THE BESTYOU HAVE IN YOUR OWN PROSPECT I LITSEN SO OF OUR FUTUR PROSPECT AS CUB FAN LETS GIVE THESE PROSPECT A CHANCE LETS RUNN THE RED BIRDS DOWN AND WIN OUR DIVISION GO CUB WE CAN DOING IT WITH THE RIGHT CLUB HOUSE UNITY AND LEADSHIP

Lets just say that you blew it when you kept sorry as leadoff all year and put down Hoffpauir and kept bradley in there–Two lazy guys at the corners. I have never watched so many catchables balls then what I saw all year with Deedle dum and deedle dee. And we dont want to talk about the hitting. I would had johnson-derosa Fuka-out there and oh yea we dont have derosa, Well we have Hoffpauir-Fuld and Fox ! We have future stars that will run into the walls to catch a ball and run to first with all their hearts ON THE BENCH. I have never seen a worst managed baseball team. Im done this year–Go Bears…

JIM HENDRY MUST GO.
You’re all correct. It confounds me that Hendry can put the blame on the players THAT HE ACQUIRED and use the lame excuse of them not playing to their capabilities, that they have hit they’re whole lives except this year. He is trying to divert the blame from himself. When you really think of the “history” of the people he either brought in or promoted to a starting role (Fontenot) he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Who really is surprised by Bradley’s performance other than Hendry? Bradley was NEVER a solid, healthy all around athletic run producing type of player, he always had physical or emotional problems/baggage. Soriano was ALWAYS a suspicious defender, NEVER showing signs of improving his defense, ALWAYS a man without a positon and ALWAYS an all or nothing free swinger that does not have smart at bats. Fukodome only had history IN A DIFFERENT LEAGUE IN AN ALL TOGETHER FORIEGN COUNTRY!! Hendry’s motive of operation is to pay these guys for THEIR PAST GLORY YEARS instead of what can be expected as a CUB. Again as I have said in the past the exceptions are Ramirez and Lee, his two best if not only great acquistions for not only improving the team AT THE TIME THEY WERE NEEDED but also FOR THE FUTURE, and that’s what a GOOD GM does…BOTH. Hendry is THE SORIANO OF ALL GM’s … he swings for the fences and misses when he should be advancing the runners. It’s ridiculous that he can get away with what he says and does as if he is not accountable with his cushy contracty extension. There is no way Hendry should be given any slack based on just a handful of good moves he made in the past, he lost what ever little edge he had and is now as entry2005 pointed out…just munching his donuts!!

Sorry to say this–but “chemistry” comes from winning. The Oakland A’s won the World Series three straight years–and they hated each other. There were physical fights in the clubhouse all the time; players didn’t speak to each other–but they won. A few winning Yankees teams–though not as bad–had little “chemistry” as well. Yes, the DeRosa trade was bad and it did have a major effect–and I’ll probably get skewered for this–but let’s face it–DeRosa is not Lou Gehrig. Do you honestly think this team would be that much better with DeRosa than it is now? No–there are too many holes. Hendry turned over 40% of the roster of a team that won 97 games–he had to get more “left-handed”–guess what? Last year’s team scored more runs against right handed pitching than any team in the NL. They choked–Hendry overreacted, and not one of his moves worked–THAT is the problem.

The theme with the Chicago Cubs remains the same, give the fans an entertaining day at the ballpark. If we win great but the object is to sell seats and concessions for the investors. The fans have been dooped for over a century now! It’s time to bring in an owner who wants to reward the fans of Chicago with a winning tradition. No more talk show us what you can acheive Chicago Cubs! We demand a world series and we demand it often. We are tired of spending our time and hard earned money supporting an orginization that could care little about providing championships to Chicago. Jim Hendry either had his hands tied or he was sitting on them when it was time to wheel and deal this year, the Cardinals don’t ever seem to have that problem! Obviously what we had going this year wasn’t and still has’nt worked,we had a chance to improve and we sat with what we had unless you consider that little deal we made with Pittsburg large… Bottom line Wrigley Field is an old tired circus act just look at the joke across Waveland and sheffeild avenue’s. Even Yankee Staium was rebuilt. It’s time for a modern ballpark and a new tradition or do we love losing this much!!!
Long time Cub supporter
And Tired of waiting

jim hendry does not play the games…while i agree that disbanning last year’s incredible 97 win team was ridiculous and would love to have DeRo and Woody back (at least)….hendry’s hands were basically tied by the team (lack of) ownership as well as the BIG contracts that are taking all of the money that IS available…the players we have seem to me with the exception of lee and rami they do not want to win….rami not injured would have changed our bleak outlook completely around for sure

Soriano….worthless,you could at least run to first base. I love Ramy but dude, RUN TO FIRST BASE. Soto… goodbye, was he doing koolaid last year? Bradley….headcase. Miles…. the Joliet Jackhammers are looking for a utility infielder. Gregg…..theres a reason why this clown was sa available in the off-season. Wood, DeRosa…..how can hendry look himself in the mirror. But it all started with Lou cryin and whinning about left handed hitters, well you got em Lou, now it’s time for you to go,and take Hendry with you. Oh yea Z is a lazy joke. He should look at film of Fergie Jenkins.

JIM HENDRY MUST GO.
Cubsfan19722, with all due respect I fail to see your point, are you trying to defend Hendry because his hands were tied by lack of ownership AND the big contracts??? Isn’t Hendry the one who gave out the big contracts, no trade clauses etc to begin with????

Soriano is absolutely the worst left fielder in MLB and on top of that he is lazy. I would trade him for two Popsicle sticks, just the sticks. On Tuesday night (8/18), Piniella looked like a person who really had lost interest and his passion for the Cubs and/or the game. Hendry has got to go his trades over the winter were terrible. Replace him with either Steve Stone or Steve Phillips. Ryne Sandberg or Joe Girardi should replace Piniella. I would pay Greg Maddox whatever he wants and make him my picthing coach. Rick Sutcliffe and/or Orel Hirshiser as my alternate. I would send Govanny Soto back to Iowa and tell him to lose weight and get into baseball shape. In fairness to him, he made a serious mistake in playing in the world baseball classic. Bring up the best catcher in our minor league system as our # 2 catcher. Put Ryan @ 2nd Base and get **** that is a defensive wiz and has great range. Mike F is not a full time player, he is a utility infielder. Bradley, may come around & do better his 2nd year. Koske is one of the best right fielders in baseball. If they can only can be more consistent. If Carlos can not get his head screw on correctly trade him for the best deal we can get. He should be our leader & #1 pitcher but he is not. Derek & Aramis, may have a couple good years left.

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